Boil Water FAQ's

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Have Questions About What To Do During a Boil Water Notice? Check Out These Helpful FAQs.

What's the difference between a boil water notice and a boil water advisory?

Island Health differentiates between three types of advisories:

A Water Quality Advisory is the lowest-level notification; it’s used to notify the public about a situation that may pose a problem for some individuals or may pose a low risk to the general population.

A Boil Water Notice advises users to boil their tap water for drinking and other domestic purposes. It aims to protect the public from infectious agents that could be present in the drinking water supply and can be effectively removed by boiling the water.

A Restricted Use of Water Notice is the highest-level notification; it’s issued when the threat to public health is potentially significant and can’t be effectively addressed by boiling the water. Restrictions on use will be specified for each situation.

I operate a food establishment. How do boil water advisories affect my business?

E. coli (Escherichia coli) is the name of a germ (or bacterium) that lives in the digestive tracts of humans and animals. There are many types of E. coli, most of which are harmless. However, some can potentially cause severe health issues. For more information, visit www.healthlinkbc.ca.

How can I protect myself during a boil water notice?

The best way to protect yourself and your household is to boil your water for one minute, at a rolling boil, before consuming. If you are concerned about your health, or the health of someone you know, visit www.healthlinkbc.ca or call 8-1-1

How can I find out more?

Watch our site for updates. To be informed when the notice is lifted, register to receive a text message or voicemail notification. This will also add you to the list to be informed about future boil water notices and other emergency notifications.

How long will a boil water notice last?

The boil water notice will be lifted once the water is safe to drink.

I'm not sure if this boil water notice applies to me. Where do I locate the map of the affected area?